This Makeup Product Is Dirtier Than Your Toilet Seat, Study Shows

The internet is filled with tutorial videos and step-by-step guides on how to clean your makeup brushes, and yet, the majority of our brushes still remain on the dirtier side. However, for those that prefer these tools to using their fingers, there’s no other option. A recent study, accompanied by some seriously upsetting photos, found that most makeup brushes are dirtier than a toilet seat.

The US Sun reported that a recent study conducted by Aventus Clinic swabbed makeup brushes and put the particles under a microscope. Researchers discovered mold, fungus and bacteria had made a home on all of the brushes. Of the 12 brushes tested, 11 were dirtier than the average toilet seat. The biggest culprits? The eyeshadow and blusher tools.

It’s not only makeup brushes that were the offenders. One of the more shocking findings was that lip gloss was the third most bacterial-laden object. This is especially horrifying because we tend to use our favorite lip gloss for a few months. Keeping all of this in mind—it’s essential to keep your brushes clean and swap out products for fresh ones as often as possible.